Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh

55 reviews

akira_outofthegravity's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I don’t know if I’ve been lied to, or if I’ve just read a lot of fucked up stuff, but this wasn’t as messed up as I’d thought it would be. It was just kind of weird.

I didn’t dislike it, the writing is beautiful, but I do wonder what the point of it all is. 

I loved all the religious references, marek and Jacob, Jude (Judas), etc etc, but something fell flat for me. I think overall the story is good, but it’s missing something. I think Marek could have been focused on more, as well as Lapvona as a place.

That being said I love the cyclical nature of the storyline, and I liked how I was sympathetic for certain characters and then it would slap me in the face with something horrible they’ve done and I’d be like “wow fuck that”.

Ultimately, I believe this is a story of a boy so starved of love and for a mother that he will search for it anywhere. Whether in punishment or in false love, eventually trying to force people to love him.

Lispeth deserved the world. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Death, and Rape

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Mental illness, Animal death, and Murder

Minor: Miscarriage, Incest, Toxic relationship, and Body horror

aeleonorrr's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Rape, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Violence, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Cannibalism, and Suicide

stardustdreamer's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Sexual assault, Rape, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Cannibalism, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Child death, Incest, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Abortion, Pregnancy, Infidelity, and Gore

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Fire/Fire injury, Drug use, Alcohol, Classism, Blood, Death of parent, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Slavery, and Pedophilia

Minor: Vomit

missymaus's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.25

One of the most grotesque books I've ever read. Interesting but definitely not for the faint of heart/stomach.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexism, Sexual violence, Stalking, Bullying, Classism, Sexual content, Child abuse, Gore, Colonisation, Death, Child death, Abortion, Cannibalism, Domestic abuse, Ableism, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Rape, Religious bigotry, Blood, Body horror, Mental illness, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Incest, Excrement, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Pedophilia, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit

this__nerd's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I’ll admit that part of my rating is that I don’t think I “got” the book. This book is just a series of bad things happening to bad people and everyone blaming it on each other and/or god. It did manage to be an effective critique of toxic religious culture and exploitive wealth while also being extremely uncomfortable to read. Major trigger warnings on this one

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Cannibalism, Abortion, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Violence, Self harm, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Rape, Death, Death of parent, Chronic illness, Pregnancy, Gore, and Body shaming

lonnie_rockwithfrog's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Violence, Toxic relationship, Rape, Murder, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, and Miscarriage

nixieba25f's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Religious bigotry, Violence, Vomit, Alcohol, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Classism, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Gaslighting, Grief, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Torture, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Body horror, Bullying, Cannibalism, Eating disorder, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Drug use, Homophobia, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Ableism, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Pedophilia, and Self harm

lizardcha's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Death, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Animal cruelty, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Child abuse, Misogyny, Body horror, Blood, Slavery, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Violence, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Child death, and Physical abuse

specificwonderland's review against another edition

dark tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Gruuuuuuuuesome. I didn't have any idea where this was going and I went along for the ride. I read this in 2 bus rides to and from work, and then was so engrossed I had to sit on the couch and finish the last 50 pages. I'm also reading The Year of Rest and Relaxation and I really like the way Moshfegh writes. I'd read anything she wrote. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Slavery, Animal cruelty, Excrement, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Incest, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Rape

swamphag42069's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This was on a "wtf did I just read" list and I mean, that really says it all. Wtf did I just read. Haven't felt this weird since seeing Midsommar for the first time, which I think is a cool thing 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Torture, Abandonment, Abortion, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Cannibalism, Chronic illness, Pregnancy, Violence, Vomit, Ableism, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Xenophobia, Animal death, Classism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Gore, Animal cruelty, Blood, Body horror, Self harm, Slavery, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Suicide attempt, and Suicide